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Home > Desserts > Christmas Crack Recipe

Home > Desserts > Christmas Crack Recipe

Christmas Crack Recipe

Last updated December 23, 2020. Originally posted December 23, 2020 By Jyothi Rajesh Leave a Comment

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stacks of toffee crack candy with nuts and sprinkle toppings with text
easy to make Christmas crack topped with nuts with text
easy to make Christmas crack topped with sprinkles with text
easy to make Christmas crack topped with nuts and sprinkles with text
best Christmas crack stacked up with text
stacks of toffee crack candy with nuts and sprinkle toppings with text

Ridiculously delicious Christmas crack recipe is made using saltine crackers that are covered in homemade toffee, melted chocolate finally topped with crunchy nuts or fun sprinkles. One of the easiest and absolute favorite holiday treat that is surely a crowd pleaser!

Christmas crack candy stacked up on white board

Things You’ll Love About These Christmas Crack Candy

  1. It’s salty, sweet, caramel-y, chocolatey, crunchy everything else. You can’t stop munching it.
  2. It’s very easy to make Christmas crack recipe. The dish comes together in minutes.
  3. Simple ingredients involved in making these.
  4. A great option for your last minute Christmas treat.
  5. Fun cooking project for the entire family, especially kids would love to be involved.
  6. Very customizable. The topping can be almost everything that you can imagine. Use chopped nuts (any nut or a combination of nuts), holiday sprinkles (to brighten holiday mood), M&M’s, popcorn, crushed OREO, Chocolate chips, chocolate drizzle on top…anything you want.
  7. These toffee barks are super addictive! I bet you can’t stop munching.
  8. Make and share with family and friends for Christmas. This one surely is a crowd pleaser!
  9. These are great make ahead treats. It keeps good at room temperature for few days when stored in air tight containers. You can refrigerate it as well, as they taste great when chilled. They can also be stored longer by freezing it for upto 3 months.
  10. Definitely make several batches as this one flies fast.

Ingredients You’ll Need-

Here’s what you will need:

all ingredients for Christmas crack on white board
  • 1 sleeve saltine crackers, about 35-40 of them (Ritz crackers are great. Graham cracked can be used too. I used other varieties of saltine crackers and works great)
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 12 ounces dark chocolate chips (or use 2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips)
  • For Toppings: Use any one or a mix of toppings as you like
  • 1 cup chopped nuts (can use walnuts, pecans, almonds)
  • 1 cup holiday sprinkles
  • 1 cup popcorn
  • 1 cup M&M’s
  • 1 cup crushed OREO
  • 1 cup lightly crushed pretzel snack

Saltine Crackers: This is the base of the candy. Use any saltines crackers. Ritz crackers, graham crackers or any other crackers will work.

Butter: use unsalted butter

Brown Sugar: To get richer toffee tastes recommend you use dark brown sugar.

Chocolate: can use dark chocolate bark, melt it in microwave and pour it over toffee mix. Or use semi sweet or dark chocolate chips.

Toppings: you can use any topping of your choice.

How To Make Christmas Crack?

how to make Christmas crack in baking pan with step by step picture collage
  • Pre heat oven at 300°F.
  • Line up 15” x 10” x 1” pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper or silicone mat.  Line up saltine crackers in single layer.
  • In a medium sauce pan heat butter and brown sugar with candy thermometer attached to it. Bring it to boil on medium low heat with constant stirring. Once thermometer reads 270° to 290° remove pan immediately from stove. Pour it over lined up saltines. Note: if you don’t have candy thermometer, bring to a boil over on medium heat and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Remove toffee mix immediately from stove and instantly pour it over saltines.  Spread evenly with spatula.
  • Pop the baking pan in oven and bake for 5 minutes. If using candy thermometer it should read 300°F
  • While toffee layer bakes in oven melt chocolate and keep it ready.
  • Melt dark chocolate bark (chopped) in microwave at 50% heat just about melted. Stir until chocolate is smooth and melted completely. Note: use semi sweet chocolate chips in place of dark chocolate bark.
  • Remove the pan from oven. Let toffee sit for 1 minutes before you add chocolate. Pour melted chocolate over hot toffee layer. Spread evenly using spatula.
  • If using chocolate chips, soon as baking pan is out of oven scatter chocolate chips on hot toffee layer. Wait for a minute or 2. The heat will melt the chocolate chips. Spread chocolate layer evenly on toffee layer. Tip: if chocolate chip does not melt, pop the pan in oven for 2 minutes at 300°F. Then spread the chocolate layer.
  • You can leave the crack candy plain or top with your favorite toppings. Use can use chopped nuts; chocolate chips, melted chocolate drizzle, and crushed OREO, crushed pretzels, sprinkles, toasted coconut flakes. Pro-Tip: if you prefer to add topping, add toppings press using a spatula into still-warm-wet chocolate.
  • Allow the candy toffee to set completely. The crackers will stick and form a single sheet.
  • Break into pieces using fingers or use knife to cut equal sized squares.
  • Enjoy!
Christmas crack topped with sprinkles and nuts

Christmas Crack Recipe Variations

Christmas crack is so easy to make and easy to customize.

Here are some variations to make –

  1. Crackers – use Ritz crackers, graham crackers or any other saltine crackers.
  2. Instead of toffee layer you can use peanut butter.
  3. Use any type of chocolate- white chocolate or sweet milk chocolate or dark chocolate.
  4. Toppings can be changes according to your preference. Depending on your mood and upcoming holiday use different toppings. Nuts, sprinkles, chocolate chips, chocolate drizzle, crushed OREO.

Tips To Make Best Christmas Crack

  1. Use aluminium foil or parchment paper to line baking pan. It makes easy to get the crack out from the pan(it’s too hard to work with toffee that gets stuck to pan). Easy to clean up too.
  2. It’s best to use candy thermometer while making toffee. Wait until thermometer reading is 270° to 290°. Then pour it on saltines. If you do not have thermometer, bring butter brown sugar to boil oven, and cook on medium heat for 3 minutes.
  3. You’ll want the toffee to sit for 1 minute before adding in melted chocolate or choco chips. Chocolate should be added while toffee is still warm. Chocolate layer may split if toffee is not warm.
  4. If scattering chocolate on top(instead of using melted chocolate) allow chocolate to warm up from the heat of the toffee toppings. Gently spread with spatula.
  5. Your oven temperature matter with chocolate. If oven is too hot the chocolate chips will seize, it won’t melt but burn.
  6. Be gentle while spreading chocolate. You do not want to shift the crackers while spreading.
  7. Make sure to cool crack completely. Sometimes if not cooled crack may be chewy instead of crunchy.
stacks of toffee crack candy with sprinkle toppings

Why Is My Christmas Crack Chewy?

No doubt, Christmas crack is easy to make. This crunchy sweet salty treat is best enjoyed when it has the crunchy texture. If you do end up with chewy crack, there could be two possible reasons for that.

  1. Toffee was not cooked properly. It’s crucial to know when toffee is ready and to be poured on saltines. It’s best to use candy thermometer while making toffee. Cook until thermometer reading is 270° to 290° then pour over saltines. If you removed toffee from stove before it reaches the correct temperature, it might lead to chewy crackers.
  2. You did not cool Christmas crack enough. When toffee candy is still warm, it will be chewy. Allow it to cool completely with toffee topping and the chocolate to be set completely. It’s best to pop the baking pan in fridge for about 2 hours so it cools completely.
stacks of Christmas crack on board

LOOKING FOR MORE CHRISTMAS SWEET TREATS?

Check these out –

Sprinkle Cookies

Colorful Sugar Cookies

Gingerbread Man Cookies

Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

Christmas Wreath Cookies

Cornflake Cookies

Snow Cookies

Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

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Christmas crack candy in ceramic bowl
stacks of toffee crack candy with nuts
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Christmas Crack Recipe

Jyothi Rajesh
Ridiculously delicious Christmas crack recipe is made using saltine crackers that are covered in homemade toffee, melted chocolate finally topped with crunchy nuts or fun sprinkles.
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Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 servings
Calories 771

Ingredients
  

  • 1 sleeve saltine crackers about 35-40 of them (Ritz crackers are great. Graham cracked can be used too. I used other varieties of saltine crackers and works great)
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 12 ounces dark chocolate chips or use 2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

For Toppings: Use any one or a mix of toppings as you like

  • 1 cup chopped nuts can use walnuts, pecans, almonds
  • 1 cup holiday sprinkles
  • 1 cup popcorn
  • 1 cup M&M’s
  • 1 cup crushed OREO
  • 1 cup lightly crushed pretzel snack

Instructions
 

  • Pre heat oven at 300°F. Line up 15” x 10” x 1” pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper or silicone mat.
  • Line up saltine crackers in single layer.
  • In a medium sauce pan heat butter and brown sugar with candy thermometer attached to it. Bring it to boil on medium low heat with constant stirring. Once thermometer reads 270° to 290° remove pan immediately from stove. Pour it over lined up saltines.
    Note: if you don’t have candy thermometer, bring to a boil over on medium heat and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Remove toffee mix immediately from stove and instantly pour it over saltines. Spread evenly with spatula.
  • Pop the baking pan in oven and bake for 5 minutes. If using candy thermometer it should read 300°F
  • While toffee layer bakes in oven melt chocolate and keep it ready.
  • Melt dark chocolate bark (chopped) in microwave at 50% heat just about melted. Stir until chocolate is smooth and melted completely.
    Note: use semi sweet chocolate chips in place of dark chocolate bark.
  • Remove the pan from oven. Let toffee sit for 1 minutes before you add chocolate. Pour melted chocolate over hot toffee layer. Spread evenly using spatula.
  • If using chocolate chips, soon as baking pan is out of oven scatter chocolate chips on hot toffee layer. Wait for a minute or 2. The heat will melt the chocolate chips. Spread chocolate layer evenly on toffee layer.
    Tip: if chocolate chip does not melt, pop the pan in oven for 2 minutes at 300°F. Then spread the chocolate layer.
  • You can leave the crack candy plain or top with your favorite toppings. Use can use chopped nuts; chocolate chips, melted chocolate drizzle, and crushed OREO, crushed pretzels, sprinkles, toasted coconut flakes.
    Pro-Tip: if you prefer to add topping, add toppings press using a spatula into still-warm-wet chocolate.
  • Allow the candy toffee to set completely. The crackers will stick and form a single sheet.
  • Break into pieces using fingers or use knife to cut equal sized squares.
  • Enjoy!

Video

Notes

  1. Use aluminium foil or parchment paper to line baking pan. It makes easy to get the crack out from the pan(it’s too hard to work with toffee that gets stuck to pan). Easy to clean up too.
  2. It’s best to use candy thermometer while making toffee. Wait until thermometer reading is 270° to 290°. Then pour it on saltines. If you do not have thermometer, bring butter brown sugar to boil oven, and cook on medium heat for 3 minutes.
  3. You’ll want the toffee to sit for 1 minute before adding in melted chocolate or choco chips. Chocolate should be added while toffee is still warm. Chocolate layer may split if toffee is not warm.
  4. If scattering chocolate on top(instead of using melted chocolate) allow chocolate to warm up from the heat of the toffee toppings. Gently spread with spatula.
  5. Your oven temperature matter with chocolate. If oven is too hot the chocolate chips will seize, it won’t melt but burn.
  6. Be gentle while spreading chocolate. You do not want to shift the crackers while spreading.
  7. Make sure to cool crack completely. Sometimes if not cooled crack may be chewy instead of crunchy.
 
Nutritional Info – Please keep in mind that nutritional information provided is only a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.

Nutrition

Calories: 771kcalCarbohydrates: 86gProtein: 9gFat: 45gSaturated Fat: 23gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 332mgPotassium: 371mgFiber: 5gSugar: 57gVitamin A: 512IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 149mgIron: 3mg
Did you make this recipe?Follow @CurryTrail and tag #CurryTrail to share your creation!

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Jyothi - Author of Curry Trail.

Welcome, I'm Jyothi

My food philosophy is simple, fresh and full of flavors! I love ‘spicy’ food. In fact so much so that I can skip dessert for extra spicy savory food!

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